May – 100 years ago
On May 26, 1918, the Pleasant Grove [aka East End] United Brethren congregation on the Red Lion circuit laid the cornerstone for their new church building, replacing the original 1890 structure that had been destroyed by a chimney fire the previous December 30. Sunday School was in session when the fire broke out, but the building was evacuated and the members were able to save the pulpit and the organ. The new sanctuary was dedicated in September. The five-point Red Lion circuit of 1918 consisted of Adamsville, Chapel Church, Longstown, Pleasant Grove and Zion – and became a four-point circuit in 1925 when Longstown was moved to the Springett charge. All five congregations are now part of the Susquehanna Conference. From 1917 to 1940 the circuit was served by M.B. Heiland, namesake of Chapel Church’s Heiland View Cemetery.
June – 50 years ago
Due to the recent Methodist-EUB denominational union, in June 1968 there were two overlapping United Methodist conferences in the area. For more efficient ministry, the Susquehanna Conference (former EUB) meeting June 3-6 at Albright College voted to transfer the following congregations to charges in the Central Pennsylvania Conference (former Methodist): Arnolds, Upper Strasburg, York Bethlehem, Bryansville. In addition, it voted to merge its Dillsburg congregation into its Central Pennsylvania Conference counterpart. In return, the Central Pennsylvania Conference meeting June 19-23 at Dickinson College voted to transfer the following congregations to charges in the Susquehanna Conference: Wellsville, New Oxford, Newville. In addition it voted to merge the following congregations into their Susquehanna Conference counterparts: Gettysburg, Rehoboth.
